Yogyakarta, 20 November 2025 — As part of the 76th Anniversary (Dies Natalis) of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), the UGM Health Cluster organized a national training program for health cadres and Puskesmas supervisors from across Indonesia. The training, titled “Strengthening the Role of Health Cadres: Capacity Building to Support the Integration of Primary Care Services (ILP) at Puskesmas,” is one of the strategic agendas of the Dies Natalis, which carries the overarching theme “Healthy Campus, Pillar of National Resilience and Self-Reliance.”
The program involved 1,000 health cadres and 1,000 supervisors, who received intensive training on early disease detection and the strengthening of community health education competencies.
Early Detection of Oral and Dental Diseases
One of the training sessions featured drg. Listrianto Hanindrio, M.Ph., Ph.D., a lecturer at the Faculty of Dentistry (FKG) UGM, who delivered a comprehensive presentation covering:
1. Anatomy of the teeth and oral cavity
Including the functions of the lips, tongue, gums, soft tissues, and tooth structures (enamel, dentin, pulp, and cementum).
2. Stages of tooth development in children and adults
Primary teeth (20 teeth) begin to erupt at around 6 months of age. The mixed dentition period occurs between ages 6–14 years. Permanent teeth number 28–32, with third molars erupting at ages 17–21. Drg. Listrianto emphasized the importance of not extracting primary teeth prematurely, as they guide the eruption of permanent teeth.
3. How to maintain oral and dental health
Cadres were trained to provide education on: Proper toothbrushing technique for 2 minutes. Selecting fluoridated toothbrushes and toothpaste. Ideal brushing times: after breakfast and before bedtime. The use of dental floss instead of toothpicks. Avoiding high-sugar foods and choosing fiber-rich foods
4. Harmful habits to avoid
These include thumb sucking in children, biting pencils or hard objects, drinking milk from a bottle while sleeping, opening bottles with teeth, and smoking. All of these habits increase the risk of abnormal tooth development, dental caries, gum disease, and even oral cancer.
UGM Reaffirms Its Commitment to National Service
Through this national-scale program, UGM hopes to produce resilient health cadres who can serve as the frontline of health education, promotion, and early detection within communities.
“A healthy society is the foundation of a strong nation. Health cadres are agents of change in making this a reality,” stated UGM leadership.
UGM also expressed its appreciation to all organizing committees, healthcare workers, speakers, and partner Puskesmas heads who supported the successful implementation of this important agenda.
(Andri Wicaksono)
